The Daily OrangeSU ice hockey benefits from four newly appointed assistant captains
By John Nolan
Posted: 11/20/09, 1:23 AM EST Section: Sports
When the Syracuse ice hockey team dresses for its game Friday night at Robert Morris, the players will put on the same blue jerseys that they've donned for each of their previous eight road games.
But for the first time this year, the letter "A" will appear on four Orange players' sweaters.
Head coach Paul Flanagan announced Monday that seniors Lucy Schoedel and Brittaney Maschmeyer, junior Stefanie Marty and sophomore Janelle Malcolm will all serve as assistant captains for the remainder of the 2009-10 campaign. The news comes as a testament to the unique leadership each exhibited in the team's first month-plus of play.
Flanagan based his decision on a team vote that occurred several weeks ago. However, he yielded before finalizing the players' selections until he was confident that the chosen ones were ready for the new role. In 28 years of coaching, Flanagan said this was the latest into a season that one of his team's announced its captains. It also marks the first time in his days on the bench that his unit will have four assistant captains and no individual wearing a "C."
"We just wanted to make sure that the girls the team voted for were actually stepping up and being leaders," said Flanagan.
The coach's hesitancy comes a year after he thrust two second-year skaters - Marty and current-junior Julie Rising - into the difficult position of captaining the squad in its first ever season.
But for the second season of the Orange program, Flanagan has taken the approach of "strength in numbers."
"With the four personalities that we have (as captains this season)," Flanagan said, "I think we have the bases covered."
While each member of the foursome tries to set an example for teammates to follow, they also have distinctive traits.
Marty, who leads the team this season with 10 points, brings the experience of having been a co-captain before. And though the Swiss native's voice isn't a presence in the locker room like her counterparts, she lets her work ethic speak.
But for the first time this year, the letter "A" will appear on four Orange players' sweaters.
Head coach Paul Flanagan announced Monday that seniors Lucy Schoedel and Brittaney Maschmeyer, junior Stefanie Marty and sophomore Janelle Malcolm will all serve as assistant captains for the remainder of the 2009-10 campaign. The news comes as a testament to the unique leadership each exhibited in the team's first month-plus of play.
Flanagan based his decision on a team vote that occurred several weeks ago. However, he yielded before finalizing the players' selections until he was confident that the chosen ones were ready for the new role. In 28 years of coaching, Flanagan said this was the latest into a season that one of his team's announced its captains. It also marks the first time in his days on the bench that his unit will have four assistant captains and no individual wearing a "C."
"We just wanted to make sure that the girls the team voted for were actually stepping up and being leaders," said Flanagan.
The coach's hesitancy comes a year after he thrust two second-year skaters - Marty and current-junior Julie Rising - into the difficult position of captaining the squad in its first ever season.
But for the second season of the Orange program, Flanagan has taken the approach of "strength in numbers."
"With the four personalities that we have (as captains this season)," Flanagan said, "I think we have the bases covered."
While each member of the foursome tries to set an example for teammates to follow, they also have distinctive traits.
Marty, who leads the team this season with 10 points, brings the experience of having been a co-captain before. And though the Swiss native's voice isn't a presence in the locker room like her counterparts, she lets her work ethic speak.
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